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| DUP founding member quits party | DUP founding member quits party |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A founding member of the DUP has quit the party in protest at its plans to share power with Sinn Fein. | A founding member of the DUP has quit the party in protest at its plans to share power with Sinn Fein. |
| Roy Gillespie, a member for more than 40 years, is the third Ballymena DUP councillor to resign in recent weeks. | Roy Gillespie, a member for more than 40 years, is the third Ballymena DUP councillor to resign in recent weeks. |
| Mr Gillespie said of Monday's historic meeting between Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams: "I'm still in a state of shock and mourning - I am devastated." | Mr Gillespie said of Monday's historic meeting between Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams: "I'm still in a state of shock and mourning - I am devastated." |
| He said he had quit with a "heavy heart", but "the DUP have joined hands with an unrepentant terrorist party". | He said he had quit with a "heavy heart", but "the DUP have joined hands with an unrepentant terrorist party". |
| "My conscience and principles will not allow me to stay in a party which, I believe, has stepped away from all the principles it once held," he said. | "My conscience and principles will not allow me to stay in a party which, I believe, has stepped away from all the principles it once held," he said. |
| Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams sat side-by-side for the first timeMr Gillespie said he would remain as a Protestant Unionist councillor. | Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams sat side-by-side for the first timeMr Gillespie said he would remain as a Protestant Unionist councillor. |
| DUP Ballymena councillor Maurice Mills said people had to move in the direction decided by the electorate. | DUP Ballymena councillor Maurice Mills said people had to move in the direction decided by the electorate. |
| He expressed regret at Mr Gillespie's departure and said he had served the party well. | He expressed regret at Mr Gillespie's departure and said he had served the party well. |
| On Tuesday, MEP Jim Allister resigned from the DUP a day after Mr Paisley's meeting with the Sinn Fein president. | On Tuesday, MEP Jim Allister resigned from the DUP a day after Mr Paisley's meeting with the Sinn Fein president. |
| A number of DUP assembly members have spoken of their concerns about power-sharing with Sinn Fein on 8 May, but none has resigned. |